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On August 2 and 3, the Village of Delia will honour its legacy with a 100 year centennial celebration.
Incorporated in 1914, Delia began as one of the period’s many booming railway communities, yet the years of 1914 and 1915 brought residents adversity. The village was facing an identity crisis.
The homestead, originally called Highland due to its elevated point on the railway route, was in need of a secure post office. Seven miles north west of Highland, A.L. Davis operated the Delia Post Office, named after his wife Mrs. Delia Davis. After petitioning from residents of Highland, the Delia Post Office was moved into Highland, creating confusion about the town’s name; was it Delia or Highland?
On December 15, 1915, with help from authorities, one identity was sanctioned: the Village of Highland had been changed, making the Village Municipality of Delia the settlement’s official name.
Now, after 100 years, residents are able to come together in order to rejoice in the village’s rich history.
Stan Marshall, president of the Centennial Committee, is looking forward to seeing the event come together in all the activities.
“It’s a celebration of the past and optimism for the future,” Marshall explains, “One of the things we’re doing is the rededication of the cenotaph to include anyone in the immediate area. We’re up to just under 500 men to honour, through the first and second world war, and up to date.”
As many events are lined up for this upcoming weekend, honouring Delia’s war heroes is just one part of the heritage the centennial will commemorate.
The mornings of Saturday and Sunday will start off with pancake breakfasts; the nights, ending with a community dance and beer gardens. Fireworks will be held at 10:30 on Saturday night.
With the streets of Delia lined with local artists singing and dancing, the doors of businesses open to welcome visitors, and ongoing museum presentations, graveyard and garden tours and child friendly events around the town, this centennial will try to revive the historical boom days in their celebration of past, present, and future.
Over 1,000 people are preregistered and the event coordinators expect almost 1,500 attendees for the weekend.
